House debates Questions without Notice
National Security
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition
3:00 pm
This is a question to the Prime Minister. Given that a convicted terrorist was left behind a pool fence for almost a year and for eight months after being identified, that ministers were kept in the dark and that she was kept in the dark and refused to seek briefings, is the Prime Minister entirely satisfied that this important matter of national security has been adequately handled by the government?
Ms Anna Burke Speaker
The imputation in the Leader of the Opposition's question was out of order. The Prime Minister has the call and will disregard the argument and the imputation.
Julia Gillard Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister
3:01 pm
Thank you very much. First, to the Leader of the Opposition: the person he refers to was always in detention, and no rhetorical flourish makes a difference to that. Second, it is the Leader of the Opposition who does not get national security briefings. Third, I can inform the House that today I have directed the Inspector General of Intelligence and Security to examine the management by the Australian government agencies of persons—
Scott Morrison Cook, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship
You said that last Friday.
Julia Gillard Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister
I had assumed that the opposition would want to hear this; but, as usual, we get the 'national security is a plaything' response, so I will start that sentence again, and maybe we can have some silence and respect in the House for national security—
Opposition members interjecting—
Clearly not, because it is just a game to the opposition. But, I inform those people in the parliament and beyond who are actually seriously concerned—so, to others than the opposition—that today I have directed the Inspector General of Intelligence and Security to examine the management of Australian government agencies of persons seeking asylum who present complex security issues, particularly this case.